Bob Dylan at 75 – From Protest to Plugging In
Bob Dylan, one of the most iconic American artists of the 20th century, just turned 75 this May. Jim and Greg examine the extraordinary career of the music legend in the first of a two-part series. This week, they explore Dylan's folk days to the moment he went electric.
Music News
Adele continues down her path of superstardom by scoring the biggest recording deal in the history of music. After three albums on the British indie label XL, Adele has signed a deal with Sony for around $132 million. She will be on the conglomerate's subsidiary label, Columbia, alongside artists like Barbra Streisand, Bob Dylan and John Mayer. In the mid '90s and early 2000s, musicians like Prince, R.E.M. and U2 were signing massive recording deals. However in 2016, substantial contracts are much harder to come by due to the large decrease in album sales. Adele seems to be the exception to the rule, which is reflected in her new, record-breaking contract.
Bob Dylan at 75: Folk Days to Newport
Don’t Look Back, the classic Bob Dylan documentary instructs us. But as the American music icon just turned 75 on May 24th, Jim and Greg can't help saying happy birthday by revisiting our multi-part special on his life and career. In our first installment, we focus on Dylan's early years as a folkie and protest singer in New York. Dylan moved from Minnesota to Greenwich Village in 1961 at age 19. Within just a few years, he was signed to Columbia Records, teamed up with manager Albert Grossman, released four albums, and become "the voice of a generation." Jim and Greg spoke to Dylan expert Clinton Heylin in 2009 about the singer's influences during those years and his growth as a songwriter and performer. Clinton explored Dylan's entire song catalog in two companion books, Revolution in the Air and Still on the Road.
Never one to be pigeonholed, Dylan abandoned categories just as soon as he was assigned them. At his headlining set at the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island on July 25, 1965, Dylan went electric by playing with a full rock band. Jim and Greg get a first-hand account of the infamous concert from musician, songwriter and A&R man Al Kooper. Al performed with Dylan onstage at Newport, and he dispels a half-century's worth of myths about the "boos" that allegedly came from the crowd.
Next week, we conclude our Dylan celebration with a look at Blonde on Blonde and Dylan's "Modern Times."
Featured Songs
- Adele, "All I Ask," 25, XL, 2015
- Bob Dylan, "Hard Times In New York Town," The Bootleg Series, Vol. 9: The Witmark Demos: 1962-1964, Columbia/Legacy, 2010
- Bob Dylan, "Song To Woody," The Bootleg Series, Vol. 7: No Direction Home - The Soundtrack, Columbia/Legacy, 2005
- Lead Belly, "House of the Rising Sun," The Definitive Lead Belly, Snapper, 2002
- Bob Dylan, "House of the Rising Sun," Bob Dylan (Original Mono), Columbia, 1962
- Bob Dylan, "Sally Gal," No Direction Home, The Bootleg Series, Vol. 7: No Direction Home - The Soundtrack, Columbia/Legacy, 2005
- Bob Dylan, "Blowin' in The Wind," Gerde's Folk City '62, unreleased, 1962
- Bob Dylan, "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall," No Direction Home, The Bootleg Series, Vol. 7: No Direction Home - The Soundtrack, Columbia/Legacy, 2005
- Bob Dylan, "The Times They Are A-Changin'," The Times They Are A-Changin', Columbia, 1964
- Bob Dylan, "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll," The Bootleg Series, Vol. 6: Bob Dylan Live 1964 - Concert at Philharmonic Hall, Columbia/Legacy, 2004
- Bob Dylan, "Bob Dylan's Dream," The Bootleg Series, Vol. 9: The Witmark Demos: 1962-1964, Columbia/Legacy, 2010
- Bob Dylan, "Mr. Tambourine Man," The Other Side of the Mirror: Live at Newport Folk Festival 1963-1965, Sony Music, 2007
- Odetta, "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right," Odetta Sings Bob Dylan, RCA, 1965
- Nico, "I'll Keep It With Mine," Chelsea Girl, Verve, 1967
- Bob Dylan, "Masters Of War," The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (Original Mono), Columbia, 1963
- Bob Dylan, "Moonshiner," The Bootleg Series, Vols. 1-3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961-1991, Sony Music, 1991
- Bob Dylan, "Tomorrow Is A Long Time," The Bootleg Series, Vol. 9: The Witmark Demos: 1962-1964, Columbia/Legacy, 2010
- Bob Dylan, "Subterranean Homesick Blues," Bringing It All Back Home, Columbia, 1965
- Bob Dylan, "All I Really Want to Do," The Other Side of the Mirror: Live at Newport Folk Festival 1963-1965, Sony Music Distribution, 2007
- Bob Dylan, "Maggie's Farm," The Other Side of the Mirror: Live at Newport Folk Festival 1963-1965, Sony Music Distribution, 2007
- Bob Dylan, "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue," The Other Side of the Mirror: Live at Newport Folk Festival 1963-1965, Sony Music Distribution, 2007
- Bob Dylan, "It Takes a Lot To Laugh, It Takes a Train To Cry," The Bootleg Series, Vol. 7: No Direction Home - The Soundtrack, Columbia Legacy, 2005
- St. Paul & The Broken Bones, "Call Me," Half the City, Single Lock, 2014
- The Beach Boys, "Catch a Wave," Surfer Girl, Capitol, 1963
- The Beach Boys, "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times," Pet Sounds, Capitol, 1966
- Sleater-Kinney, "Dig Me Out," Dig Me Out, Kill Rock Stars, 1997
- Tribe 8, "Wrong Bathroom," Snarkism, Alternative Tentacles, 1996
- Le Tigre, "Hot Topic," Le Tigre, Wiiija, 1999
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